BMJ voting begins

The British Medical Journal has opened an online poll to discover what areas people believe doctors can make the greatest difference

The British Medical Journal (BMJ) has opened an online poll to discover what areas people believe doctors can make the greatest difference.

Six short listed topics were revealed by the BMJ as part of its Making a Difference project that aims to identify key issues on which doctors feel they can make the most significant change. An expert panel selected the topics from a total of 200 BMJ reader nominations.

Management of chronic pain, adverse drug reactions in elderly people and drug resistant infections in developing nations are three of the topics that feature on the shortlist.

Editor of the BMJ, Dr Fiona Godlee, said: "Any of these topics would make a deserving winner and it will be fascinating to see which one will come out on top."

The BMJ intends to make the topics, which are all in line with national and international organisation priorities, the focus of its activity in 2008. A group of 12 leading doctors has been appointed to highlight each topic's respective clinical and social importance.

Voting will close on April 16 and the winning topic will be announced at the International Forum on Quality and Safety in Health Care in Paris on April 25.

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